Nesting Albatross Coloy - Saunders Island, West Falklands

 

Black browed albatross incubating its egg on a cylindrical shaped mud nest

Thursday, November 2 - Albatross Colony, Saunders Island

We are on Saunders Island, West Falklands on an excursion to visit albatross and penguin nesting areas. We walked about a mile and a half from our Zodiac landing site in the bay, moving over tussock grasslands that slope gently upward.  We continued up along a gentle slope following the sea coast until we found the cliffs where the black browed albatross are nesting.  We learned there are about 6000 albatross nesting here, with 17000 on this island and 550,000 on the Falklands.  About 70—80% of all albatross breed on the Falkland Islands. 

Hiking along the coast to view an albatross nesting colony

Albatross pairs mate for life, over 40 plus years.  Each pair lays one egg that takes 2 months to hatch.  All the eggs are exactly the same, so the adults recognize the eggs and chicks by their nesting hole.  They always return to the same nest.  The parents share in the duties of raising the chicks.  I watched one bird busily building up its nest with mud from an abandoned one,  bit by bit with pieces of mud and moss grasped in its beak, patting it in place to shore up the side of the nest. 

This albatross is chasing away a turkey vulture, who would steel its egg

These birds are huge - with bodies bigger than eagles

We were up at the top of a cliff, with the waves crashing below.  Hundreds of black browed albatross were swooping by on the wind currents. Occasionally one would land nearby - usually not very gracefully - especially compared to their elegance as they glide and swoop. They are tremendous flyers - they can stay aloft for years at a time.  Their wingspan is 10 -  12 feet.

Two colonies of nesting rockhopper penguins

Rockhopper penguins

I stayed for about an hour at the albatross colony, taking photos and talking with photographer, Macduff Everton. Michael walked on to the area where the Rock Hopper penguins were nesting, which was another mile or so uphill. I headed back to the beach, where we boarded our Zodiacs to return to the ship.  The farmers on the island had set up a small shop on the shore, selling local items out of the back of a jeep.  I bought a crocheted headband for $10, made from wool from the Falklands.  So cool.

Saunders Island shop - handmade woolen items, postcards, stamps

My new crocheted headband - made from Saunders Island wool!

Heading back to the Endurance in our Zodiac

I took the Zodiac back to the Endurance and this time didn’t get wet.  Upon arrival, I scrubbed my boots and waterproof pants at the cleaning station, stowed my gear in the lockers at Base Camp and headed upstairs.  Michael arrived about 10 minutes later.  We relaxed, had lunch upstairs on Deck 8, and got ready for our afternoon excursion. 

All cleaned and tucked away, waiting for our next excursion